“Use your head to stay on top and always know when it’s time to stop”
Lyric from the song “Place in the Sun”, by The Pool
The moment of truth is here. Time to go to Scott Avenue and roll across the start line. Are you ready for this?
Every year, people get into trouble at the Hotter ‘N Hell Hundred. My hope is that you think about it before the ride, use your head, ride smart and stay out of trouble. Here are some suggestions on how to have a safe ride.
Before the Ride
Have a Pace Plan
How fast can I ride? When it comes to pace, there are 3 choices: Walk (steady effort), Run (hard effort) or Race (all-out effort). At Walk Pace, you can carry on a conversation. At Run Pace, you have to catch your breath while trying to talk. At Race Pace, you can only think about talking.
How fast should I ride? Your body will cooperate when you ride at a pace that you have trained for, so listen to your body. Warning signs are overheating (feeling the heat), inability to eat, stomach discomfort, dizziness, cramping and/or headaches.
How do I fuel up? Eat a good meal on Friday night (dinner fuels the morning). Stay hydrated. Get a good night’s rest. Get up early enough to eat a good breakfast (breakfast fuels the afternoon).
During the Ride
Challenges Along The Way
Are you a “frisky pony”? You’re at the start with thousands of other cyclists. You can feel the energy as the cannon goes boom. Time to ride. Your legs feel fresh. The temperature is as low as it will be all day. The temptation to go all out is hard to resist. I suggest that you avoid the “frisky pony syndrome”. Those who ride out too aggressively usually fade in the last stages of the ride. The “secret” to this ride is to save energy for the last 20 miles. Remember
the pace you chose last night and ride that pace from the beginning of the ride.
Are you fueling up and hydrating? The first 2 hours of the ride usually determines how the last 2 hours of the ride will go for you. In the first 2 hours, it is important to develop a routine of drinking some water and eating some food as you ride along. This is a rhythm that you will maintain for the duration of your ride. It is not a good idea to eat and drink only at the break points OR in large volume. Graze as you go for best results. Don’t ignore the break points. Taking short breaks will help relieve body/postural fatigue. Stretch your shoulders, chest, arms, legs, hips and back. When you get to the break points, don’t camp out! Just stop by for a brief visit. Stay focused and steady with the ride/eat/drink/break rhythm.
Do you know the course? The challenging areas for most cyclists are the hills between mile 10 and mile 25, the hills after Hell’s Gate and the last 22 miles (into the wind most years). Pace yourself through the hills and wind. Don’t burn up your legs by attacking the hills or fighting the wind. Set your pace and stay steady so that you have plenty of “money in the bank” for those last 22 miles
Do you know heat? Have you been spending all your time in air conditioning? Have you been avoiding the heat or have you been learning to live with it? Hopefully, you have trained in the heat and learned how to eat in the heat. When the temperature is above 91 degrees, the environment is considered “hostile”. We have to help our body cool off while working in the heat. Calories fuel this process, which is why we need to eat about 125 calories per hour. We need water to help cool down by sweating. Sun sleeves help us stay cooler, as does water sprayed on our legs, torso and head. So, if you know heat, you can ride in it. If you
have not had a lot of heat exposure before the ride, then take it easy and listen to your body.
Are you saving your legs? Every year I watch countless cyclists struggle to complete the ride due to improper gear usage – or, stated another way, NOT shifting frequently. The simple rule is to use less gear (lower gear/less resistance) and more leg speed (revolutions per minute). Leg speed under 60 rpm will thicken up your legs and wipe out your strength. I suggest that you select a gear that you can “spin/turn” at a rate between 75rpm and 90rpm so
that you use your legs without wearing them out.
Mind Games
What are you thinking? Don’t kill the ride with negative self-talk. I have learned that the mental part of the 100 mile ride is much larger than the physical part. Whenever conditions get challenging for me, I think about my breathing, or my pedal motion, or relaxing my shoulders. The main idea is to avoid thinking about that pain in my ______ by thinking about something else. Stay positive and remember this: What the mind dwells on the body dwells in.
Wrapping It Up
Are we there yet? Sometimes people cool down before they’re done. They’ll stay at a break point for a LONG time cooling down and resting up. This actually makes it harder to complete the ride comfortably and wears you down mentally AND physically. Wait until you cross the finish line to cool down and recover.
Did I go too far? Are you counting the miles to the next stop? Do your legs feel like dead rubber bands? Are you wiped out? Then yes, you did go too far. Quit now and get in a SAG vehicle. Next year, either prepare better or ride a shorter route.
Are you listening to your body? The recurring theme here is to be realistic and listen to your body. Ride the ride that you are prepared for, not the ride you dreamed of. Ride Smart and have a great ride!
